This invention relates to a method and apparatus for storing and organizing electrical cords.
The proliferation of electrical devices deemed to be essential in our everyday life is staggering. For example, can one imagine a life without lamps, televisions, VCRs, stereos, computers, fax machines, printers, answering machines, space heaters, room fans, coffee pots, blenders, food processors, mixers, can openers, electric tools and many, many other electrical devices too numerous to mention. Some of the aforementioned electrical devices are equipped with permanent electrical cords. Other electrical devices are equipped with detachable electrical cords. Usually these detachable electrical cords are stored when not in use.
The proliferation of these electrical devices has indeed made our daily life more enjoyable and some would even say less stressful. However the increased use of these electrical devices having attached or detached electrical cords in the home and work place can produce a plethora of problems. For instance with a detachable electrical cord, it can be a problem for the user to identify a needed electrical cord being stored. Stored electrical cords also become tangled, thereby increasing the likelihood of damage to the cord.
Elongated electrical cords can also produce problems. For instance, a plurality of electrical cords inserted into an electrical outlet on a wall can produce a tripping hazard. These elongated cords are also a magnet for dirt and dust. One of the most frustrating situation arises when a person has to somehow identify a particular electrical cord from the maze of multiple, intertwined electrical cords found at an electrical outlet.
In the kitchen area, many small kitchen appliances such as hand-held mixers, electric frying pans, electric woks, indoor grills and food processors have removable electrical cords. Usually these items are not kept on the kitchen countertop area, thereby necessitating the storage of the appliance and its accompanying electrical cord. After the small kitchen appliance is used, its electrical cord is removed and placed for storage in a kitchen drawer, a container or the like. It can be appreciated that many electrical cords, including extension cords, can accumulate in this storage area. Therefore when one goes to retrieve the electrical cord that is needed to power a particular appliance, it can be difficult to identify the correct electrical cord needed. Additionally, many times these multiple electrical cords are tangled together, increasing the likelihood of damage to the cords. The mass of tingled electrical cords also contributes to the frustration level of the person trying to use the small appliance because he or she must first untangle the intertwined cords before the appliance can be used.
Similar types of problems and frustrations can be experienced in a workshop area. Usually within a workshop area there are a plurality of electrical tools having detachable electrical cords. The electrical cords are usually stored in an area such as a drawer, a tool box, a storage container or the like. It is very difficult and time consuming to identify the appropriate electrical cord needed to power the desired electrical tool. Moreover it is not good for the electrical cord to be in a prolonged tangled state with other electrical cords.
The usual workplace nowadays includes a computer having some, if not all of the following componentsxe2x80x94a hard drive, a monitor, a printer, a scanner and a telephone line. Some of these components need their own source of electrical power while others do not. However all the components are accompanied by a plurality of cords and cables having various lengths and widths. This plurality of cords and cables found in close proximity to each other increases the likelihood that tangling will result. As pointed out above, this occurrence is not favorable because the tangling increases the risk of damage to the cord. Moreover, if a troubleshooting situation arises whereby the user wants to find a particular cable or cord, it is very difficult for the user to identify the particular cord he or she is looking for. He or she must go through the time consuming process of first correctly identifying the needed cord and then untangling it form the other cords.
Another area where a variety of different cables and cords can be found is the area behind a television having a VCR attached thereto or behind a stereo system having many components. This plurality of cords and cables found in close proximity to each other increases the likelihood that tangling will result. This occurrence is not favorable because the tangling increases the risk of damage to the cords and or cables. Moreover, if a troubleshooting situation arises whereby the user wants to find a particular cable or cord, it is very difficult for the user to identify the particular cord or cable he or she is looking for. Additionally, the identification of the individual cords and cables would help in the set-up and breakdown of the stereo and multimedia systems.
Additionally, the elongated nature of most electrical cords can produce some problems. For instance, an elongated cord plugged into an electrical outlet can pose a tripping hazard. These elongated electrical cords also attract dirt and dust. A device that would shorten these cords would alleviate these problems.
Another area where one sees an increased use of electrical devices is in an automobile. These devices, usually power the automobiles cigarette lighter, including, but are not limited to car phones, electric coolers, miniature televisions and radar detectors. The excess length of cord found on the devices can pose a threat to the driver of the car because the excess cord can get tangled in the gas, brake and or the clutch pedals, thereby inviting an accident.
Yet another situation posing a cord containing problem is the storage of seasonal items such as room fans, space heaters and electrical blankets. When one stores these items in close proximity to each other, the likelihood that one or more of these heavy items will be placed on top of the cord for a prolonged period of time is increased, possibly resulting in damage to the cord. It would therefore be advantageous to store the cord in a protected environment close to its electrical device.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,867,681; 3,126,444; 3,337,681; 3,823,251; 3,889,044; 4,156,795; 4,902,852; 5,185,791 and 5,304,736 disclose structure for housing electrical wire and cords with structure for holding the wires and cords in place within the housing. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,889 the wires are folded within the housing. U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,680 discloses a tapered cylindrical hosing for electrical cords.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,001,491; 3,088,237; 3,212,207; 3,474,559; 3,551,541; 4,656,767 and 4,882,116 disclose placing information concerning the wires on the external surface of the housing.
A cord storage/organizer includes a container having paired, opposed open ends having an opening of a size sufficient for urging insertion and removal of the cord. The container includes a continuous internal wall for urging retention of the cord. The internal wall further includes a first wall thickness at the open ends that is less than a second wall thickness located in a middle region of said container. The container further includes a label area disposed on the outer periphery of the arcuate continuous wall allowing identification of the cord stored in the container. The container also includes at least one notch on at least one of said open ends of sufficient size to enable the user to grab the plug head and pull the cord out of the cord container with ease. The container includes at least one flexible baffle located on the inner portion of said side wall for urging the cord to remain in the stored condition. Use includes winding a cord connected to an electrical plug into a small bundle, inserting the said wound-up cord into the cord container, and inserting the cord""s electric plug into an area directly adjacent one of the open ends into the notch area for storage.